


Unclear Distance

by Impatiens_capensis



Category: Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Non-Despair, Hinata has a weird fairly sexual thought in the middle but there's nothing explicit, Hinata's trans on the A/B/O axis but he hasn't put that together yet, I'm embarrassed for having wrote this, Komaeda's luck is not a real supernatural force but they think it is, Nonbinary Komaeda, Other, Trans Character, cafe date, dr0 referenced as a fictional work in universe, omega komaeda, uncomfortable teenage romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 05:01:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11029173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impatiens_capensis/pseuds/Impatiens_capensis
Summary: Komaeda asks Hinata to go to a café with them. It's probably maybe not a date, except that's totally what it is. Teenage awkwardness ensues.I wrote this basically as an attempt to imagine if A/B/O could be written in a way I don't find morally objectionable. I'm not sure how good it turned out. Judge for yourself if I succeeded.





	Unclear Distance

"I know it's impudent of me to ask as much, but would you want to go to a café with me after school tomorrow? It's a good place to study and they sell salted chocolates. The place is easily overlooked and I thought you might like to be introduced to it." Komaeda was smiling softly, in the welcoming way they frequently did.

Hinata couldn't help but think afterward that that sounded like Komaeda was asking him out on a date, but he was probably reading too much into it. Anyway, Komaeda had said that they'd hate to impose themself on anyone—that if a beta or alpha was interested in them, they'd accept that person's judgment, but that they wouldn't dare to burden someone with their feelings.

"Yeah, sure, I'll go there with you," Hinata had replied, "And there's no problem asking me that. I've already told you that we're friends, right? Hanging out is something friends do."

Komaeda then laughed, a light chuckle. "You're much too accepting of me, Hinata-kun."

Hinata bumped Komaeda's shoulder with his fist and told them to knock it off with acting like they didn't matter.

It'd be alright and it would only be a date if Hinata made it one, which he wouldn't, because he wasn't even actually an alpha, even though Komaeda thought he was. Hinata's friend from his old school Kuzuryuu thought Komaeda was spending so much time with him so quickly because he was head over heels for the new transfer student "alpha", which Hinata guessed was possible, but either way this wasn't a date.

-

Their server thought it was a date and cooed when she seated them about how cute they were together.

On one hand, this was almost nice because that meant Hinata was doing a good job at passing for an alpha. Not that in the modern day someone could actually tell whether a given person was an alpha, beta, or omega by looking, but there were stereotypical sorts of postures and behaviors that were associated with each. Hinata had made a point of teaching himself to look confident and take up space, so that people would think he was an alpha and it was always reassuring to know that it had worked. He always worried that covering his scent was a dead giveaway. It might be deceptive on his part, but he just didn't want certain alphas and betas harassing him about how he should doing more to earn their favor or how he was only friends with so many alphas because he was needy for a partner. It wasn't wrong of an omega to want a little respect, right? Well, and he wasn't comfortable with his uterus and didn't want to think about it to begin with. But misunderstandings like this...

"Actually, we're studying together," Hinata corrected.

"Alright, I'm sorry," the server said, but she had an amused smile. The two sat down where she brought them and she asked if they knew what they wanted.

"Sparkling iced tea and a salted chocolate bar, please." Komaeda didn't miss a beat.

"I'll need to look over what you have," Hinata said. The server handed him the menu and left.

"You were awfully direct in letting her down." Komaeda interrupted Hinata scanning the menu when they figured the server was out of earshot.

"I didn't want her to go around with the wrong idea."

Komaeda had a soft smile. "You really are the type to try and act responsibly, aren't you?"

Hinata returned the comment with a modest shrug.

He read the menu of overpriced drinks (well, it was an inordinately fancy café, they were being served at a table) and decided he wanted vanilla matcha, whatever that was. The menu said it was sweetened and he liked matcha-flavored sweets. His life already felt like one foolish risk after another, might as well try a foolish tea concoction.

Komaeda had started reading in the meantime and so the two sat in silence until the server returned with what Komaeda had ordered.

"Do you know what you want, now?"

"I would like the vanilla matcha."

As the server walked away, Komaeda closed their book and smiled at Hinata. "I thought I might read, if you're going to be studying, but I can't focus on my book at all."

Hinata paused and watched Komaeda unwrapping their chocolate neatly. It was satisfying to see how careful they were, even if Hinata didn't know what to do with them. "I thought you invited me to study."

"I realized you probably thought that when you said we were studying."

Hinata blinked. "Well, you mentioned this was a good place to study. It's misleading of you to say such a thing and not plan to study."

Komaeda just smiled mischievously as the server returned with Hinata's tea and asked if he wanted anything else. Hinata said no thank you and she walked off again.

"...I'm sorry for the misunderstanding," Komaeda said, still smirking. "I can try to be more clear in the future."

Hinata tried his tea (...not too bad, not great, though, hot) and attempted to put together where this conversation was going. Also, where it had been. If he was absolutely honest, judging what Komaeda wanted often felt like chasing a dragonfly and trying to catch it with his bare hands. "I don't get what you're trying to do here.  Is this a date?"

Komaeda paused. "I never said it was a date. I'm not really sure what this is. I just thought we seemed to get along." Their tone was calm, their smile didn't falter. "My aunt's been making me see a therapist and my therapist says that I should make friends and that my friends will be okay even if they're friends with me. You said we were friends. I wanted to spend more time with you, if it will be alright."

Then, after being so casual, Komaeda's tone fell to seriousness. "At the first sign of trouble, please feel free to leave, though."

Hinata laughed. He didn't know what else to do. He looked away when he replied. "This... being with you isn't a problem. I just want to know what you want from me." He looked up to see Komaeda was sucking on a square of chocolate and Hinata prayed they weren't doing that to try and look sexy. Now was not the time. Their relationship was embedded with lies.

"I haven't made myself clear, then? I wouldn't mind if this was a date. I thought that might be what you wanted." Chocolate had gotten on Komaeda's lips and Hinata's traitorous mind imagined licking it off. God, maybe he was just a needy omega who wanted to get in all his friends' pants. That was fucked up. This absolutely should not have been a date.

Hinata could feel himself heating up. "Why did you think I wanted to go on a date with you?"

Komaeda did a poor job of holding back a laugh. "Ah, I'm not supposed to laugh, I know. It's just... you aren't so self-aware, are you? Even though you were doing just fine making friends, you still wanted to spend time with me and even invited me to eat with those who'd already rejected me. What would you have to gain from something like that if you didn't see me as a viable partner? You're really obvious." 

"...no? That's not what that means. I... I want to be your friend. L-looking for more opportunities to spend time with someone is a perfectly normal thing for a friend to do." A perfectly normal friendship. Yep. It wasn't a lie, but Hinata hadn't totally convinced himself with that one.

Komaeda's smile weakened, their eyebrows pulled together. "Hinata-kun, your face is bright red." When a moment passed without a response, they added "...have I stepped too far out of line?"

Hinata felt the incredible urge to smack something, but he held himself together. He felt like he'd cornered himself. Even if Komaeda backed down, there was something up between them. Probably everyone could see.

He almost muttered when he spoke. "This isn't... You won't get what you want from me." He hid his face by taking another sip from his mug. Komaeda was surely scrutinizing him.

"What does that mean?"

Hinata's eyes stayed fixed on his drink as he formed his words. "I... Not that it's really your business, but I'm an omega."

"Oh. So that's it. I had thought you were surprisingly approachable for an alpha. Now I feel extra selfish." When Hinata's eyes flickered up, he saw that Komaeda was gazing straight into him again, even as their omnipresent smile barely held out. They were into him, alright. Unfortunate that the feeling had to be mutual.

"...so, yeah. I totally deceived you and whatever. I'm not sorry." He said that, but his gut ached heavily. He pressed his lips together and did his best to blame the tea for his unease.

Komaeda sighed, their smile fading altogether. They looked out towards the café, staring off aimlessly as they spoke. "Well, this might be the bad luck I get in trade for the good luck of someone caring about me. That's how I'd like to think of it, at least. If my good luck allowed me a more ideal union with an alpha, I loathe to think what might happen. I mean, I know there's no evidence for supernatural forces, but... I just feel like... surely every good thing must come with a price. I don't just get good things. I can't expect to be loved the right way by the right person." They smiled again, just a little, eyes returning to Hinata. "So... I guess I'll accept the good luck where I can get it."

Hinata's fingers twitched around the side of his mug. He felt maybe a little less heavy, but his gut was still weak. "It sounds like you made a decision about our relationship without me. You don't get to do that."

"Ahh, yeah, I'm sorry. Do you... want this to be a date?" There was the slightest falter in their voice. "I-I guess this would be a pathetic first date. Not romantic at all." At least they had the decency to be embarrassed.

"Well, nobody's said it was a date yet. If it was, then... you shouldn't have talked about me like I'm second-rate, then, if you wanted me to stick around." He was looking at Komaeda's hand wiping away condensation on their glass more than at their face. "Look, I've enjoyed spending time with you. I want to understand you better. But I don't want to be made a fool of."

Komaeda hummed thoughtfully and took a sip of their drink. Hinata found it easier to look at their face when they looked away, but when their attention returned to him, Hinata held eye contact for an extra moment and felt an energetic rush like a gust of wind in his chest. "I guess that's understandable, but we're in a foolish situation, aren't we? I can avoid insulting you, but I can't stop you from making a fool of yourself. If you let me keep going, well, I'm a pretty mediocre catch."

"I don't think... You aren't mediocre. You're too distinct to be merely mediocre." It was a lousy rebuttal and Hinata knew it, he cringed inwardly, but didn't amend his statement.

"I'm not sure what you mean by that. Are you trying to say I'm absolutely atrocious?"

Hinata's heart was racing as he took in Komaeda's expectant smile. They were almost certainly trying to get a rise out of him and yet it wasn't like they were being hostile. "That's not what I'm saying. I think you're fine. I enjoy spending time with you." He took a breath and when he spoke again, it was quieter, as not to make a scene. "I think I might like trying to date you. I really do... like you. A bit."

Komaeda grinned and loudly whispered in return, "I like you a lot." Of course, they had to go and embarrassingly make it a spectacle. Well, no one was paying attention at the two of them, probably, even though Hinata could swear he felt eyes on his back.

The next time the server came around, it was clear Hinata and Komaeda were not studying and they were loosely holding the tips of each other's fingers, continuing to chat. Hinata was nervous, even though this strange woman didn't know they were both omegas and had already expressed her approval. He wanted not to care. He wanted to hold onto this warmth of attraction and be happy with it. She didn't say anything, but he thought he saw her smirk a little.

He drank his tea and listened to Komaeda talk about a book they'd recently finished. Apparently, it was a mystery novel about a girl alpha with amnesia. Komaeda basically spoiled the whole book and then asked Hinata who he thought the amnesiac protagonist's "true self" was.

"Don't you think I'd have to read it myself to answer that?" Hinata said, laughing a little. "Well, I'd like to believe that she really is who she thinks she is, even if that isn't the same as who she was. If that makes any sense."

"I think it does," Komaeda responded, launching into an explanation of their own thoughts. Whatever his weird relationship was with Komaeda, Hinata felt like this might really be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> If the ending seems abrupt, that's because I decided to end it abruptly.
> 
> Fun fact: this was originally a fill for a kink meme prompt but I lost the original post and ended up kinda doing my own thing.
> 
> Anyway, comments are the number one thing tell me you're interested and encourage me to keep writing. So if you like this, please comment!


End file.
